Coupling-release rigging



S. H. CAMPBELL.

COUPLING RELEASE RIGGING.

APPUCATION FILED APR-6,1921.

1,387,685 Patented Aug-.16, 1921.

lNVENTOR S. H. CAMPBELL PATENT OFFICE.

STERLING H. CAMPBELL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

COUPLING-RELEASE RIGGING.

Application filed April 6,

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, STERLING H. CAMP- n-ELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri,United States of America, have invented a certain new and usefulCoupling-Release Rigging, of which the following is such a full, clear,and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to a coupler release rigging of the type in whichthe operating arm is carried by a horizontal rock shaft. The object ofmy invention is to provide a connector extending between the operatingarm and coupler locking pin, which connector is formed by two partspivoted or hinged together to move in a vertical longitudinal plane tocompensate for the longitudinal movement of the coupler, the lower partof the connector being provided with an elongated loop for compensatingfor the lateral movement of the coupler relative to the operating arm.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of device made inaccordance with my invention together with a portion of a railway car towhich the same is applied, Figure 1 is a top plan view on a reducedscale, Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the connector together withportions of the operatin arm and locking pin, Fig. 3 is a view simiTarto Fig. 2 but showing the parts in a different position, and Fig. 4.- isa front elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

5 indicates a railway car provided with a coupler head 6 having alocking pin 7 in which is formed a horizontal eye 8. 9 indicates therock shaft which is secured to the car 5 by means of brackets 10 of anysuitable form. 11 is the operating arm carried by the rock shaft 9 andprojecting forwardly at right angles thereto. The operating arm 11 isflattened at its outer end and has formed in said flattened end ahorizontal opening or eye 12. The connector is formed of two parts 13and 14 pivoted or hinged together at 15 so as to move in a verticallongitudinal plane. The upper end of the part 13 is bent over at rightangles so as to form a trunnion 16 adapted to pass through Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

1921. Serial No. 458,891.

the horizontal eye 12 in the end of the operating arm 11. This trunnion16 is threaded to receive a nut 17 and is provided with a slot 18 sothat the end of said trunnion 16 may be enlarged by the separation ofthe two parts. This may be accomplished by the insertion of a suitabletool in the slot. The accidental removal of the nut 17 will be thusprevented. The part 14 of the connector is provided with an elongatedloop 19 closed at both ends but opened at one side as indicated at 20 soas to allow of its engagement with the eye of the locking pin 7.

In applying my device to a car, the elongated loop 19 is first engagedwith the eye 8 of the locking pin 7, the trunnion 16 is passed throughthe horizontal eye 12 of the operating arm 11, the nut 17 is then placedin position on the end of the trunnion and the two parts of the trunnionseparated by the insertion of suitable tool in the slot 18. The devicewhen in normal position stands as shown in Fig. 2, the pivot 15projecting either to the front or rear of the center line connecting theeyes 8 and 12, the longitudinal movement of the coupler head relative tothe operating arm 11 will thus be compensated by the movement of theconnector in a vertical longitudinal plane. When the operating arm 11 israised by the action of the rock shaft 9, the two parts of the connectorwill be drawn into line as shown in Fig. 3 after which the locking pin 7will be raised. The form of the loop 19 is such as to allow of thenecessary relative lateral movement between the coupler head and thecoupler arm.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car havinga coupler head provided with a locking pin, of a rock shaft, anoperating arm carried by said rock shaft, and a connector formed of twoparts pivoted together to move in a vertical longitudinal plane, one ofsaid parts having a fixed pivotal connection with said operating arm atright angles thereto and the other having laterally slidinglongitudinally pivotal connection with thecoupler locking pin.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car havinga coupler head provided with a locking pin, an operating arm carriedbysaid rock shaft, and provided vvlth a hor1zontal eye and a eonneotorformed of two parts pivoted together .to move in a vertical longitudinalplane, one

of said part-s having a lateral projection extending through the eye ofsaid operating arm and the other having an elongated open sided loop'having lateral sliding longitudinally pivotal engagement with thecoupler locking pin.

V 3. A connector for coupler release rigging comprising two parts havingpivotal connection to move in a single plane, one of said parts having aportion bent over parallel with the pivot of said connection and adaptedto engage with an eye of an operating rod and the other having anelongated loop extending parallel with said projection and adapted toengage wi h the eye of the lock ing pin 'to have lateral sliding andlongitudinally pivotal movement relative thereto, and retaining meansengaging with said bent over portion.

4:. In a device of the class described, the combination with a couplerlocking pin, of an operating lever therefor, and a link com prising twopieces-pivoted together, the ends of said links being pivoted to thelever and locking pin respectively to move in a vertical plane, the axesout all of said pivots be ing substantially parallel.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and aflixed my seal.

STERLING l. CAMPBELL. [n s]

